From Marilyn Lynch, Stanbridge Head of School:Hello and welcome to another edition of The Bridge. After a spirited week of theme days, we are now heading into the home stretch of the school year. The three-day weekend ahead ushers-in a busy final two weeks, so here's the latest to keep you up-to-date:

• Memorial Day is May 27 and there is no school on Monday. Classes resume on Tuesday, but our Junior High students will effectively get to extend their holiday as they have a class trip to Chinatown scheduled for May 28th. Details of the trip are included on the permission form which is posted on our Forms page.

• It will be an especially short week of classes for our high school seniors, who depart for their year-end capstone trip to San Francisco on Wednesday, May 29. The three-day, two-night adventure includes tours of the Walt Disney Museum, Alcatraz, Fisherman's Wharf and a dinner cruise aboard the Hornblower as it sails beneath the Golden Gate Bridge. A full itinerary of activities can be found on our Forms page, along with a packing list and permission slip. As a reminder, please remember to drop off any necessary meds to the main office on Tuesday so chaperones can maintain accountability.

• As our seniors depart to The City on Wednesday morning, our high school underclassmen will be looking to next year. Specifically, voting on next year's student government leaders. We have a number of enthusiastic candidates running for student government office, and Hayden Hall has been adorned with homemade campaign posters. Candidates will be giving speeches to the high school students and incoming ninth graders on Wednesday morning and voting will take place immediately afterwards. We'll announce the winners at the end of the day, but an early congratulations to all of the students who are running. I thank you for your dedication and interest in getting involved!

• Looking beyond next week, one of the final school-wide events of the year is our annual Field Day. For new families unfamiliar with this Stanbridge tradition, Field Day is an event where students and teachers from all divisions interact as teams, competing in a variety of picnic-style outdoor games (i.e.--tug o' war, relay races, water balloon toss, etc.). The event is held at Coyote Point Park, just across the highway from Stanbridge, and includes a BBQ lunch as well as prizes for the winning teams. Parents and guardians play a big part in assisting with Field Day activities--from helping with the BBQ to assisting with transport to and from Stanbridge. Pam has details on how to volunteer in this week's SPA Spot, and all student participants are required to submit a permission form which you can find on the Forms page. This is a fun way for students and staff to celebrate the end of the school year together and I look forward to seeing everyone take part.

• Following Field Day, on Thursday, June 6, we will be holding our annual End-of-Year Award ceremonies. This is a chance for teachers in all divisions to recognize students for their accomplishments. Again, parents and guardians are encouraged to attend, as all students will be individually recognized. The awards are presented in Hayden Hall and the schedule is as follows:

Lower/Middle/Upper Elementary - 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Junior High - 10:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

High School - 1:30 p.m. to 3:10 p.m.

• Of course, these events are only a prelude to the big day: Graduation. This year's commencement ceremony will start at 10:00 a.m. at the Burlingame High School Auditorium (1 Mangini Way, off of Carolan Avenue, in Burlingame). Please note the following about graduation:

Friday, June 7 is a school day. All students are expected to arrive at Stanbridge at regular time.

Students and faculty will be taken to and from Burlingame HS by bus. Permission forms will be posted next week.

The ceremony will end at approximately 12:30 p.m. If a parent/guardian is present, students may leave with them directly from the BHS Auditorium.

A celebration to honor the graduates will be held at Stanbridge immediately following the ceremony. Light refreshments will be served and all Stanbridge families and guests are welcome to attend.

All parents and guardians are encouraged to attend the commencement ceremony, even if your student is not graduating. In addition to honoring the graduating eighth- and 12th-graders, the ceremony features a number of awards that will recognize students from all grades and divisions. Additionally, our graduating seniors will be giving personal speeches as they accept their diplomas. Hearing their stories as they complete their Stanbridge careers is incredibly moving, inspiring, and unforgettable. It is a great opportunity to celebrate the special place that Stanbridge is and I hope you are able to attend.

• Thank you to everyone who has signed-up for Summer School classes. We have delayed sending the follow-up emails because of a late surge in enrollment--some of the classes that were about to be cancelled will now be staying on the schedule! Chris will have the schedule finalized next week, but thanks to some last-minute sign-ups, nearly all courses initially offered will remain on the schedule. With that said, it's still not too late to enroll. You can find the course descriptions and the sign-up form on our Summer School page.

• Finally, be sure to click over to The Bridge mainpage. We have posted additional stories and links about some of our students that you will definitely want to read about, plus a link to the newly-launched SPA Facebook page. Before signing-off, though, our thanks and appreciation to all who have served--and who are currently serving--our country, as we honor them over this holiday weekend, especially our Stanbridge Vets!

Hello and welcome to another edition of The Bridge. What a week it has been! While the S.S. Stanbridge set sail for Prom last Friday, the party cruise vibe lingered through Thursday's Special Person Day festivities and this Friday night's Talent Show. We're now into May--one of the busiest months at Stanbridge--and while there are enough activities on the calendar to keep even the most organized cruise director on her toes, the days tend to go by so fast that we may have to trade in the cruise liner for a speed boat. Here is a quick recap of this past week's highlights before looking at what lies on the horizon:

First, a hearty Thank You to all of the parent and staff volunteers who helped make this year's Prom a hit. There is always a little extra effort necessary in getting ready for the Prom--from putting-up the extravagant decorations to serving the dinner to cleaning-up afterwards--and this year's crew delivered the goods without a hitch. Please click over to Pam's SPA Spot for a more detailed recap and Thank You list, and make sure to click over to our online photo galleries, where over 100 Prom pictures have been posted illustrating the boatload of fun everyone had.

I'm happy to report that the S.S. Stanbridge navigated its "next wave" with equally smooth sailing. Judging by the response I've received from students, parents and guests, our Hawaiian-themed "Special Person Day" on Thursday was a huge hit. Over 75 grandparents, relatives and special guests were part of Thursday's festivities, which included presentations from students in all divisions, classroom tours, and a special lunch. My thanks to the students performers and their teachers for preparing a delightful show for our visitors, and to the parent and staff volunteers who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure the event went off without a hitch. This was one of those events where the Stanbridge Community really came together to share their pride in what our school has to offer and many of the guests in attendance told me personally how touched they were to be a part of it.

Speaking of student performers, another round of kudos to the dozens of Stanbridge students who took the stage at Friday night's talent show. This annual revue has grown into one of the marquee events of the school year and this year's iteration didn't disappoint. The sheer variety of creativity on display was amazing and I congratulate all of our student performers who shared the spotlight and put on an incredible show. Another hat-tip to the staff and student volunteers who helped transform the multipurpose room into the "Stanbridge Performing Arts Center" and special thanks to Jay Huston, who once again took the lead in putting it all together. As you might expect, there were lots of cameras taking pictures and video at the show, and we'll be posting plenty of highlights in our Media Room next week.

Looking ahead to next week provides a stark reminder that it's not all fun and games. Elementary and junior high students will be taking their year-end academic assessments on Tuesday, wednesday and Thursday mornings, May 7-9. Again, these assessments are not "tests" in the sense that they count toward a student's grade. The assessments are simply a mirror of the work that students did at the beginning of the year to measure the academic gains that have been made over the course of the school year. Nonetheless, some students tend to get anxious when taking these standardized assessments so teachers have been preparing their classes accordingly and accommodations and modifications will be offered as needed. Parents and guardians, you can do your part by ensuring your student gets a good night's sleep prior to assessment days and starts each day with a healthy breakfast.

On Wednesday, another reminder that the school year is coming to an end: The last SPA meeting of this academic year will be held in Hayden Hall at 8:30 a.m. This is an especially important meeting, as the group will be choosing positions for next year's SPA Board (including SPA President) and planning year-end events such as Field Day (June 4th) and Graduation (June 7th). Pam has more details in this week's SPA Spot, but I highly encourage you to attend.

Friday, May 10, is an in-service day for the staff which means that there is no school for students. A community service project has been organized for students (and parents) in junior high and high school at the San Francisco Food Bank. We are looking for a group of student volunteers and parent drivers to go to the Food Bank in the afternoon to help package food in their warehouse for distribution. The group will leave from Stanbridge at 11:30 a.m. and return by 4:00 p.m. Full details and the necessary permission form are posted on the Forms page--please RSVP by this Wednesday.

A few closing notes before signing-off:

• This coming week is Teacher Appreciation Week. Pam Navarro and Kim Knapp have organized special theme days to celebrate at Stanbridge, and Pam has the details posted in this week's SPA Spot on how you can participate. The week will culminate with a lunch catered by Jackie Donaho for the teachers during Friday's professional development day. Our teachers are an integral part of what makes Stanbridge such a special place--here's to celebrating all of their hard work next week!

• Plans for the last round of field trips for this year have been finalized. Details for all upcoming trips, along with packing lists, med forms and permission slips are posted on the Forms page. Please click over to see what is coming up and ensure that you have all the proper paperwork completed by the turn-in deadline.

• Parents and guardians of this year's high school seniors, please ensure you RSVP for the upcoming Senior Luncheon. The event will be held at Ristorante Rocca in Burlingame on Saturday, May 18th from noon until approximately 2:30 p.m. We need to get an accurate head count to the restaurant by the end of next week, so please RSVP to the main office by Thursday, May 9.

• The initial deadline for Summer School enrollment is this Thursday, May 9th. Enrollment remains open through June, but classes that do not meet the minimum enrollment by this Thursday will be dropped from the schedule. We have had instances in the past where parents have tried to enroll a student in a class only to find out that it had been cancelled due to low enrollment. To help avoid that, I encourage you to please sign-up this week before the deadline. You can pick-up an enrollment form in the main office or download one from our Summer School page, which also has listings of the courses being offered and their descriptions.

• Finally, two of our students will be taking the stage in a different way this weekend and next, performing in the Coastal Repertory Theater's production of Peter Pan. Details are in the sidebar on The Bridge main page.

Again, thanks to everyone who helped make this past week such a memorable one at Stanbridge. Despite the boat decorations coming down, I'm looking forward to smooth sailing through the waters ahead. Have a great weekend!-Marilyn

From Marilyn Lynch, Head of School:Hello again--or should I say "Ahoy!"--and welcome to another edition of The Bridge. The view from my office is a bit different this afternoon, as Hayden Hall has been decked-out floor-to-ceiling, starboard to port, to look like the ballroom of a luxury cruise liner. A group of dedicated parent volunteers assisted in the transformation, putting up the decorations and setting up tables for tonight's (Friday's) Prom. The students have been abuzz about this event for weeks and their excitement reached a fever pitch when they arrived to school Friday morning to see the "S.S. Stanbridge" docked in Hayden Hall. Pam has full details on the big night in her SPA Spot, and be sure to check her page later this weekend for a recap of this year's Prom and some photos from the event. Next week we'll have a full rundown of how things went and a complete collection of pics in our online gallery. Of course, there is a lot more going on around here next week, such as...

• On Monday and Tuesday, high school students will be taking their end-of-year academic assessments. These will be similar to the standardized assessments that the students received at the beginning of the year and the results will help us to measure progress, track individual goals, and evaluate curriculum. I stress that these assessments are given for those reasons and are not to be considered tests--the results will not affect a student's report card grades. Nonetheless, we realize that these types of assessments can make some students anxious and will have accommodations in place for those who need them. You can assist by ensuring your student gets a good night's sleep on Sunday and Monday and eats a healthy breakfast before coming to school. Reading & Language Arts assessments will be given Monday morning and Mathematics will be covered on Tuesday. The assessments will run from 8:30 a.m. to approximately 11:30 a.m., canceling morning classes. Lunch and afternoon classes will be held as scheduled on those days.

• With the assessments out of the way early next week, students will be able to fully enjoy Thursday's and Friday's big events. The cruise-centric Prom decorations will remain in tact for Grandparent/Special Person Day on Thursday, May 2, which will have a "Hawaiian Luau" theme. Guests attending the event should arrive at 9:30 a.m. and the ramp on Claremont Street will provide access to those unable to enter through the main foyer. Visitors will be welcomed with an introduction to Stanbridge from Marilyn, followed by special presentations from students in all grade divisions, a classroom "sit-in" with their student, and then lunch. If you haven't formally RSVP'd for the event but your student is planning to bring a guest, please contact Maggie or Susan in the main office on Monday. ​• And the S.S. Stanbridge pleasure cruise will keep sailing into next Friday night, when we will hold our annual Student Talent Show. All grandparents and special people who come on Thursday are welcome to return to campus the following evening for show, which begins at 6:00 p.m. and runs until approximately 8:00 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room. There will be performers from all divisions and the acts this year are as fun, artistic, creative and diverse as our student population. Admission is free and the event is open to parents, guardians, friends and family. Look forward to seeing everyone there!-Marilyn

P.S.--Be sure to click over to the Weekly Bridge mainpage for additional notes on the Summer School deadline and a wrap-up of this year's Students vs. Staff sporting events.

From Marilyn Lynch, Head of School:Hello again and welcome to another edition of The Bridge. With just over 30 school days remaining in this academic year, the calendar is about to fill up quickly. The shower of activity at the end of April leads right into a deluge of events in May. Here is a brief look at what lies ahead, along with a few other notes for the week:

• High school seniors and graduating eighth-graders were scheduled to take their graduation gowns home this weekend to be ironed. We've decided to delay the distribution until next week. Gowns will be sent home with students on Monday, April 22. Please iron/press your student's gown and return it to school the following day. We will store the gowns for Thursday morning when the students will wear them for their graduation photos.

• On Tuesday, April 23, there will be a second round of Talent Show auditions after school from 3:15 to 4:00 p.m. This round of auditions are for students who were unable to stay afterschool this past Tuesday and for students who were asked to re-audition their act. If your child falls into one of those categories, please ensure they are signed-up in the main office for an audition spot and bring any necessary music and/or props on Tuesday. If you have any questions or need to schedule an alternate day/time, please email Jay Huston.

• The Stanbridge Bulldogs hockey team will try to follow in the footsteps of the basketball team this year, as they take on the teacher team this Wednesday, April 24. Our second annual Students vs. Staff hockey game will be played at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday on the campus courtyard. All students will be there to watch the event, and parents/guardians of players are invited to attend as well. Inspired by the student team's victory over the staff in this year's basketball classic, the Bulldogs Hockey squad looks to make 2013 the year of the student sweep. We'll post photos and results in next Friday's Bridge.

• As noted above, our eighth graders and high school seniors will have their graduation photos taken on Thursday morning, April 25. Details on ordering prints will be posted online and sent home next week.

• Of course, for many of our high school students, the highlight of next week is Friday night's Prom. Tickets are on sale through Wednesday in the main office. They are $35 each and I ask that you please honor the Wednesday deadline. The price of the ticket includes a catered dinner (prepared by Jackie Donaho) and we need to have an accurate headcount to ensure there is enough food, table settings, refreshments, etc. Pam has full details of the Prom in this week's SPA Spot, so be sure to click over to her page for more information.

• With May on the horizon after next week, a few reminders: Please make sure you return your RSVP for Grandparents/Special Person Day by Monday, April 22. The event will be held on Thursday, May 2 and, like Prom, we need an accurate headcount to ensure sufficient preparations are made. The event will allow guests to visit their student's classrooms and meet the teachers, and will feature a variety of student presentations followed by lunch. Guests will be able to use the Claremont Street access ramp to enter/exit the building if necessary. Please contact the main office to RSVP or if you have additional questions.

• All guests are welcome to return to campus the following evening for the annual Talent Show on Friday, May 3 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room. Students from all divisions will be performing and the event is always a highlight of the year. Admission is free and the event is open to parents, guardians, friends and family. Hope to see you there!

In closing, a few brief notes:• A big Thank You to the staff members who represented Stanbridge at last Saturday's EdRev at AT&T Park. In addition to the seven staff members who worked behind the Stanbridge booth, a number of Stanbridge students and parents were also in attendance as visitors and volunteers. Plus, we had some of our students submit artwork to be displayed and a few of our entries received honors from the panel of judges. I'll have more on that next week and formal announcements at the Grandparent's Day assembly and Talent Show.​• Finally, with the Boston Marathon bombings and the factory explosion in West, Texas, this was a particularly rough week in the news. For many of our students, the end of the year tends to have them anxious enough and these news events may have only added to their anxiety. Boston Magazine posted an article on how to talk to children about tragedy, and the piece includes additional links to other resources. Remember also that our counselors on staff are always available for students who may need support in dealing with increased anxiety or stress. Our thoughts are with the victims of these tragedies and their families. And as we move forward, here's to focusing on the words of the Mr. Rogers meme that has resurfaced this week: "Look for the helpers...always [be] comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers–so many caring people in this world."-Marilyn

From Marilyn Lynch, Head of School:Hello again and welcome to another edition of The Bridge. We are back from Spring Break, into the Fourth Quarter, and many of you know that these last two months of school seem to fly by thanks to all kinds of special events, assemblies, end-of-the-year trips, and deadlines. Given that this weekend is the last before taxes are due (speaking of deadlines...), I will try to be as brief as possible with all of the upcoming news here at school:• Obviously one of the big events coming up here at school is the High School Prom. This year's Prom is scheduled for Friday, April 26 here on campus and tickets are now available for purchase from the main office through April 24. Prom is a more formal dance than the other dances throughout the year, and the $35 ticket includes a catered dinner that will be served to the students by staff chaperones. Be sure to click over to this week's SPA Spot page for updated details on the Prom and to volunteer to help with the set-up and clean-up.• Prom is one reminder that the school year is nearing its completion, but there are others. Most notably, our junior high and high school graduates will be taking their graduation photos (wearing caps and gowns) on Thursday, April 25. We will be sending graduation gowns home with eighth grade students and high school seniors on Wednesday, April 19 so they can be pressed (the gowns, that is--not the students). The following Thursday, Doug Peck will be at school in the morning to take pictures of the students individually and in their class groups. Please ensure that your student is dressed appropriately for the shoot (ladies in pants or dresses; gentlemen in collard shirts and ties). Photo proofs and order forms will be sent home at a later date TBD.• In more immediate news, there is a lot coming up this weekend and next week. On Saturday, April 13, the Parents Education Network (PEN) is holding their annual Education Revolution (EdRev) at AT&T Park from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. We will have a group of teachers there to represent Stanbridge, but the event is open to parents, guardians and students alike. You can read more about the workshops, speakers and exhibits at this year's event--as well as register online--on the official EdRev website.• Please note that in addition to the Income Tax deadline, Monday, April 15 is the deadline to return re-enrollment forms to the main office. If your student is planning to return to Stanbridge next year, please ensure you return the completed forms (they were sent home by mail over Spring Break). If you did not receive a packet or if you have any questions about the re-enrollment process, please contact Susan or Maggie in the main office ASAP next week.• On Tuesday, April 16, we will be holding auditions for the annual Student Talent Show after school from 3:15 to 4:00 p.m. All students who want to perform at the May 3rd Talent Show must audition for a staff member--no exceptions. Please ensure your student brings any props or music required for their act to school on Tuesday. If your student cannot be present at Tuesday's auditions but still wants to be in the show, email Jay Huston(our Talent Show coordinator) to request an alternate date/time.• As noted, the Talent Show will be held on Friday, May 3rd from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. here on campus. The event is free and open to friends and family. Keep in mind that the show is the day after "Grandparents & Special Person Day," Thursday, May 2. This event provides a chance for these special guests to spend some time with their Stanbridge student at school. Visitors will get a tour of campus, meet the teachers, enjoy lunch with the students and will be treated to an assortment of student presentations from all grade divisions. You should have received your invitation in the mail over break, and we ask that you please RSVP by April 22.• And the Stanbridge mail will keep on coming: Report cards for the Third Quarter will be in the mail next week, as will invitations to high school senior families for our annual Senior Luncheon. Graduating seniors and their parents are invited to this annual tradition, to be held this year at Ristorante Rocco in Burlingame on Saturday, May 18. Senior parents, please return the enclosed RSVP cards to the main office by May 9.• May 9th is also the initial deadline for Summer School enrollment. While you will still be able to sign-up for Summer School through June, keep in mind that classes that do not meet the minimum enrollment by May 9th will be dropped from the schedule. To lessen the risk of a class being cancelled, please get your enrollment form to the main office prior to that initial deadline. You can read more about this year's Summer School program, as well as download a copy of the course guide and enrollment form on our Summer School page.• The final session of afterschool clubs started this past week and runs through the end of May. If your student is interested in joining (or re-enrolling) in a club, you can still sign-up through next Friday, April 19. A copy of the Spring Clubs enrollment form is available on our Forms page.• Finally, things are winding-down for this year's overnight experiential trips. The high school seniors still have their "Senior Capstone" to look forward to in May, but our middle and upper elementary students went on their big overnight trip to Coloma Outdoor Discovery School just prior to Spring Break, and our lower el students spent a night at Elkus Ranch this week. We've got pictures aplenty from both trips posted in our Media Roomnow. As you'll see, there were lots of smiles and sunshine. And on a weekend with the tax deadline looming, smiles and sunshine might be in short supply, so enjoy! -Marilyn

From Marilyn Lynch, Head of School:Hello again and welcome to another edition of The Bridge. As I write this, we are just a few short hours away from the start of our Spring Break and excitement is at a fever pitch for the Students vs. Staff basketball game. [Update: The student Bulldogs team defeated the Staff team in a thriller, 35-33. A full recap and pictures will be featured online after we return from Spring Break. --Ed.] With much to cover from this past week and looking ahead to what's coming up, here is our deluxe, Spring Break Edition of The Bridge:• To start things off, a hearty Thank You and Congratulations to all students who participated in our Spring Showcase presentations. These events were new additions to our school calendar and the response was overwhelmingly positive. I'm happy so many parents, guardians and other guests were able to attend the presentations for all divisions. The students enjoyed sharing their knowledge with an audience, and many of you who attended told me how much you enjoyed the format and performances. Additional thanks to the staff members who helped organize the presentations (and who get to see these students in action every day). We hope to continue to offer opportunities like the Spring Showcase more often in the future, and--in fact--will have another showcase of Stanbridge student presentations coming up in May (details on that below).

• The calendar says it is officially Spring and so does our experiential trip schedule. Earlier this week, the Middle and Upper Elementary classes spent three days at Coloma Outdoor Discovery School learning about local wildlife and the California Gold Rush. Look for photos in our online gallery sometime after we return from break. Also when we return, the Lower Elementary students will be heading-out on their spring experiential trip; an overnight visit to Elkus Ranch, April 10-11. All of the necessary forms have already been completed, but if you have any questions about the trip, you can email your student's teacher.

• The week we return from Spring Break is indeed a busy one. The Stanbridge Parent Association will be holding their monthly meeting that Wednesday, April 10 at 8:30 a.m. in Hayden Hall. Amongst other topics, plans for the High School Prom will be discussed. The Prom is scheduled for Friday, April 26 here on campus and tickets will be available for purchase from the main office the week of April 8. Prom is a more formal dance than the other dances throughout the year, and the $35 ticket includes a full, catered dinner that will be served to the students by staff chaperones. Pam will have more details at the April meeting and in upcoming SPA Spot updates. For now, be sure to click over to this week's SPA Spot page for all the latest and to volunteer to help with the set-up and clean-up of this year's Prom.​• Today not only marks the start of Spring Break, but the end of the Third Quarter. Teachers will be completing report card grades over the break and we will be mailing report cards home shortly after we return from break the week of April 8. While there's no need to watch the mailbox next week for report cards, please keep an eye out for some other Stanbridge mail. With the exception of high school seniors, all families should be receiving a re-registration packet soon. If you are planning to enroll your child at Stanbridge for the 2013-2014 school year, please read through the packet and return all of the necessary forms to the main office by April 15. Additionally, all families should be receiving an invitation to our "Grandparents & Special Person Day." This event will be held on Thursday, May 2, and provides a chance for these special guests to spend some time with their Stanbridge student at school. Visitors will get a tour of campus, meet the teachers, enjoy lunch with the students and--as mentioned earlier--will be treated to an assortment of student presentations from all grade divisions. The event is free, but we need an accurate head count, so please return your RSVP by April 22. (Also, just an early notice that we'll be hosting our annual Student Talent Show the following evening, Friday, May 3, and all visiting grandparents/guests are invited to attend that event as well).

• In closing, a few brief notes:- A reminder that the final session of afterschool clubs starts the week of April 8 and runs through the end of May. If your student is interested in joining (or re-enrolling) in a club, please return a copy of the sign-up form along with your payment to the main office as soon as possible. A copy of the Spring Clubs enrollment form is available on our Forms page.

- The Parents Education Network (PEN) is holding their annual Education Revolution (EdRev) at AT&T Park on Saturday, April 13. We will have a group of teachers there to represent Stanbridge, but the event is open to parents, guardians and students alike. You can read more about the workshops, speakers and exhibits at this year's event--as well as register online--on the official EdRev website.

- Finally, after being out one day last week and returning to find a video of James singing "The Bake Sale Song" on the website, I shudder to think what is being posted in our Media Room nowadays. Alas, the newest entry is a brief clip of the junior high students celebrating the end of a Civil War project they have been working on this quarter (photo on The Bridge mainpage; video in the video gallery). It is great to see the students get so excited and have fun while learning, and I look forward to future video clips being posted along the same lines. It is worth noting, however, that since James' video went online, our main office has been fielding a lot of phone calls from MTV, Def Jam records, and "Justin Timberlake's people." Obviously we've been telling them that we'll be on break next week and they can always go online and schedule a tour for when we get back.

Until then, have a safe and happy Spring Break. See everyone back at school on Monday, April 8th!-Marilyn

From Chris Myers, Projects Manager/Webmaster:Hello again and welcome to another edition of The Bridge. Marilyn was out on Friday, which means that I've been tapped to fill you in on this week's news and notes. If Marilyn was here, I'm sure she'd be telling me to "remind everyone about next week's student presentations," or "don't forget to include details about Thursday's basketball game," or "stop worrying about your NCAA basketball bracket and get back to work." Good advice all around, so let's get right to it:

• Our "Spring Showcase" presentations began on Friday with the elementary students performing for an audience of parents, guardians and friends. Highlights included the lower elementary class reciting the parts of a plant (see photo on the Weekly Bridge mainpage); the middle el students explaining the California Gold Rush; and the upper el group illustrating the features of Mars. Our junior high students will get their turn in the spotlight on Monday, March 25 at 2:00 p.m. and the high school division takes the stage on Tuesday morning, March 26, at 8:30 a.m. These presentations are designed as a fun way for students to share what they've learned in class and are definitely tailor-made for Kodak moments. Bring your camera and come join us if you can.

• The elementary students got an early jump on the "Spring Showcase" presentations because the Middle and Upper Elementary divisions will be away on their spring experiential trip next week, March 25-27. They will be spending Monday through Wednesday at Coloma Outdoor Discovery School, with the upper el students going through the Science Program and the middle el students learning more about the Gold Rush. Full details, packing lists and all the necessary paperwork are on the Forms page.

• Thursday, March 28, is notable for a number of reasons. First, we will be holding our annual Students vs. Staff basketball game that afternoon. As is tradition, the event will take place at the Martin Luther King Park Rec Center and students will be walking there from campus with their homeroom teachers. Because this is an off-campus event, students will need a signed permission form to attend. These were distributed to everyone on Friday, but if a copy didn't make it home, you can find a printable version on the Forms page. Please ensure your student's permission form is signed and returned to the main office by Thursday morning.

Thursday also marks the end of the Third Quarter, which means report cards will be mailed out in early April. Their arrival will be delayed a bit because Thursday is also the last day of school before Spring Break. Please note that there is no school on Friday, March 29 and students have the following week off for Spring Break. Classes resume on Monday, April 8 and report cards will be mailed that week.

• Upon our return from Spring Break, the final iteration of afterschool clubs will begin. The spring session of clubs begins the week of April 8th and runs through the end of May. If your student is interested in participating in an afterschool club, please complete the sign-up form (and yes, it's on the Forms page too) and return it with your payment to the main office by Thursday, March 28. Please note that there are some changes from the current clubs schedule, so double-check the new form if you plan on re-enrolling since not all current clubs will be offered in April and May.

• I've got to give a shout-out to the parent volunteers who have been helping with this year's Annual Fund Campaign. This year's campaign is coming to a close, but they wanted me to remind you that if you have not yet participated, there is still time to give--simply drop-off your donation in the main office before Spring Break. For families that have pledged but not yet donated, please make your donation as soon as possible. Families who made Annual Fund pledges that were not received by March 22 will be billed for the amount of their pledge. Billing notices will go out the last week of March, so if you need additional time to make your donation or have questions about the Annual Fund in general, please contact our Business Manager, Anne Barrows.​• Finally, a few multimedia notes to close this week's Bridge: We've added tons of pictures from the Junior High's trip to Camp Sea Lab in our Photo Gallery. And don't worry...as you'll see, there was a lot more to the trip than just dissecting squid. Over on the SPA Spot page, Pam has new details on some upcoming lectures and workshops, and she's also still looking for volunteers to help with this year's Prom. This week's 80s Prom Flashback clip comes from Back to the Future, so enjoy that, but please help Pam out. After Pretty in Pink last week, the well is running dry on prom-themed movies and I don't think Marilyn or Pam want me to go for a Carrie reference. Lastly, we kind of take it for granted now that everyone is aware of the Friday Bake Sale here at Stanbridge. Lest you forget about this weekly tradition, "Uncle" James Warren has allowed us to record him performing a new version of his classic "Bake Sale Song," which we've posted in our Video Gallery. Feel free to play it this weekend, over Spring Break, or whenever you may be planning to hold a bake sale of your own. James is also available to perform the song live and in-person, provided he does not accept the invitation to tour with Justin Bieber this summer.

I'm pretty sure I'll be in trouble after that last paragraph, so I better sign-off now. In any case, the next round of basketball games are starting and I still have a shot to beat Mark in the office pool. Have a great weekend!-Chris

From Marilyn Lynch, Head of School:Hello again and welcome to another edition of The Bridge. Looking back at this past week, our Junior High division enjoyed a memorable five day run, starting things off with a trip to the movies on Monday before spending the remainder of the week on their spring experiential trip in Monterrey. The seventh and eighth graders have been reading The Wizard of Oz in their literature classes and went to see the newly-released Oz: The Great and Powerful to start the week. On Tuesday, the group departed for Camp Sea Lab in Monterrey, where they stayed until Friday afternoon. There, the group enjoyed kayaking in the bay, along with hands-on lessons about marine life. The interactive experience even included a session of squid dissection, which--as Maureen reports--was followed by a snack of fresh calamari. This would be my reaction, but the students seemed to enjoy it. Dissection aside, we'll be posting plenty of pictures from the trip in our Media Room next week.

While the Junior High was gone, we welcomed a number of visiting families to our Spring Open House this past Thursday morning. We had a solid turnout of visitors who were eager to learn more about our school. I'd like to thank all of our Open House presenters, as well as our STAR Team and Student Government tour guides, who helped make Thursday's event a success. This was our final Open House event for this school year, but if you know of any friends or family members who are looking at school placements for their students next year and may be thinking about Stanbridge, have them fill-out an online tour request or contact Susan in the main office for more information.

Next week could be considered the calm before the end-of-the-month storm. Looking ahead to Friday, March 22, our lower, middle and upper elementary students will be performing in various class presentations for parents, guardians and guests. These "Spring Showcase" presentations are designed for the students to present what they have learned in class in a fun and entertaining manner. Each division will hold a Spring Showcase this month, and the elementary students will begin with theirs on Friday. The program starts at 2:00 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room and parents, guardians and guests are encouraged to attend. Ditto for friends and family of the Junior High students, who will be presenting their Spring Showcase on Monday, March 25 at 2:00 p.m., and our High School students, who will present on Tuesday, March 26 at 8:30 a.m.

The elementary students are holding their presentations on Friday because they will be on their spring experiential trip to Coloma Outdoor Discovery School from Monday, March 25 to Wednesday, March 27. Both the Middle and Upper Elementary divisions will be going (though there are different activities planned for each group), and all the necessary forms, permission slips and packing lists are posted on our Forms page. The groups will be back to school in time for Thursday, March 28--the last day of school in the third quarter, the last day of school before Spring Break, and the day of the annual Students vs. Staff Basketball Game. As you can see, there's a lot going on during the last week of March, so mark your calendars now. I'll have additional details on all of these events in next week's edition of The Bridge.

Before I sign-off for this week, a few final notes:• Camille's high school and upper elementary art classes currently have their work on display in Hayden Hall. The high school students have made some beautiful "pattern drawings" and the elementary students created some colorful, abstract face designs. If you haven't been able to see them, we've posted photos of the work on our website's Student Art Gallery. Check it out.

• Our Annual High School Prom is only a month away and we're looking for volunteers to sign-up for set-up assistance. Pam has more details in this week's SPA Spot, along with highlights from Wednesday's meeting and an updated listing of upcoming lectures and workshops.

• We are nearing the conclusion of our 2012-2013 Annual Fund Campaign. Again, I'd like to thank everyone who participated by making a donation to this year's Annual Fund. If you have not yet participated, there is still time. Please drop-off your donation in the main office before Spring Break. For families that have pledged but not yet donated, please make your donation as soon as possible. Families who made Annual Fund pledges that are not received by March 22 will be billed for the amount of their pledge. Billing notices will go out the last week of the month, so if you need additional time to make your donation or have questions about the Annual Fund in general, please contact our Business Manager, Anne Barrows.

• Finally, a thank you to Jackie Donaho, who helped organize Wednesday's Skateboard Science exhibition here on campus. The presenters effectively combined their love of skateboarding and knowledge of science into an engaging and acrobatic show that delighted our students. Featuring aerial stunts, jumps, flips and tricks, the show defied physics as much as explaining it. Overall, it was a fun, exciting way to end the day, though this would be my reaction if I was ever asked to perform flips on a skateboard. Remember, kids--safety first.​ Have a great weekend and Happy St. Patrick's Day!-Marilyn

From Marilyn Lynch, Head of School:Hello again and welcome to another edition of The Bridge. It was back to work this week after Saturday night's Stanbridge Steps Out dinner dance. I was pleased to see so many of our Stanbridge families and staff members, as well as some alumni parents and board members. As always, the evening was wonderful, and a great way to connect with the Stanbridge community outside of school in a purely social setting. Many thanks to all involved with the planning and organization of our annual Step Out event, and to everyone who came and made Saturday another night to remember.

​My role as a WASC committee member took me off campus for most of this past week, so a few housekeeping notes before looking ahead to next week. First, congratulations to our Bulldogs Hockey Team, who netted a victory in Wednesday's rematch against Charles Armstrong School. As you may remember, the Bulldogs were defeated by CAS in a heartbreaker last week, losing 4-3 on a last-minute goal. The 'Dawgs got their revenge on Wednesday, however, winning convincingly by the score of 6-3. In other sports news, the Bulldogs Basketball team lost in their Friday afternoon game this week, falling to Edgewood 50-23. The hoops squad will have one more regular season game against Our Lady of Angels (date TBD) before ending the season with the annual Students vs. Staff game on March 28.

Speaking of the hockey and basketball teams, we've added a new batch of pictures in our Media Room Photo Galleries that feature this year's teams in action. Be sure to click over and check them out, and while you're there, scroll down for photos from the 9th and 10th grade trip to Hidden Villa. More Hidden Villa pics are coming, and we'll alert you once they're posted. (Note: You need a Parent Portal password to access the photos)

Next week is a fairly busy one here at Stanbridge with a lot of comings and goings. On Monday, the junior high students and teachers will take a day trip to the San Mateo Cinemark Theatres to see Oz: The Great and Powerful. Having read the original The Wizard of Oz in their literature classes, the group will have a chance to see how the unofficial prequel stacks up against the classic tale. Tuesday through Friday, that same group will be on their Spring Experiential trip to Camp Sea Lab in Monterrey. Details of both trips, along with the appropriate forms, are posted on our Forms page. Studying sea life and seeing flying monkeys--not a bad way to spend a week.

Back on campus, remember that the March SPA meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 13 at 8:30 a.m. In addition to the standard meeting and discussions, there will be an additional presentation on executive functioning skills, featuring guest speaker Jan Johnston-Tyler from EvoLibri. Developing stronger executive functioning skills is often cited as a goal for many of our students here at Stanbridge, so I highly encourage you to attend this upcoming presentation--you can read more about it on Pam's SPA Spot page.

The following day, on Thursday, March 14, we will be hosting our Spring Open House from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. This will be our final Open House event of the school year, so spread the word amongst those you know who may be looking for student placement next year. This event is designed primarily for new and potential families considering Stanbridge for their students, but I welcome current eighth grade families to attend this Open House as well. The event will provide you with a unique way to see our high school teachers and students in action and give you a forum to ask any questions you might have about the Stanbridge high school program.

A few early warnings about some upcoming events towards the end of the month: On March 19 and 20, Dr. Leonard Sax, Ph.D. will be the featured Common Ground speaker, presenting his lecture "Yes! Gender Matters" at three different Bay Area locations. Details on the presentation, along with dates and times can be found on our Common Ground page, and you can view a clip of Dr. Sax speaking about this topic in our Video Gallery. Also, our Middle and Upper Elementary students will be visiting Discovery Outdoor School in Coloma for their Spring Experiential trip, March 25-27. Details and all the necessary forms and packing lists are on the Forms page.

Finally this week, we've had a lot of birth announcements this year at Stanbridge, so for a change of pace, here's a different reason to celebrate: Our Resource Specialist, Meagan Cameron, announced this week that she is engaged. Her boyfriend, Brian, popped the question last weekend and Meagan said yes. As you may remember, Meagan and Brian (an endodontist) have travelled to Cambodia for the past two years working with K.I.D.S., a charity organization that provides dental care to impoverished children (Stanbridge families donated crayons for Meagan to take with her both years; you can read more about that here). The trips are indicative of their kindness, dedication and hard work, and on behalf of the Stanbridge Community, I congratulate them and wish them all the best for what lies ahead.

​ With that said, I'm beginning to think we need to add a registry to the Stanbridge Store. Between all the newborns and now a wedding...do you think Crate & Barrel will start taking Stanbucks?

From Marilyn Lynch, Head of School:Hello again and welcome to another edition of The Bridge. After a week back from Winter Break, some notable items old and new:

• This past week, our ninth and tenth graders returned to school on Monday after Winter Break and promptly departed for a three-day experiential trip. The group enjoyed an eventful stay at Hidden Villa Ranch in Los Altos Hills, where they worked with the ranch staff to develop team-building and leadership skills. Lest that sound rather dull, the activities involved included a navigating a ropes course, going on nature hikes, caring for farm animals, playing games, expressing themselves through artwork and more. The weather cooperated and the students (and staff) I spoke with raved about the experience. Pictures from the trip will be posted in the Media Room next week.

• On Wednesday afternoon, our Bulldogs Hockey team played an afterschool game against Charles Armstrong School. It was an exciting, close game and our students played tremendously. Tied 3-3 late in the game, it appeared overtime was imminent until the CAS squad scored the go-ahead goal with just seconds remaining to win 4-3. Nonetheless, the Bulldogs played with heart and determination and should be proud of their effort.

• Coming up on the calendar, the March SPA meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 13 at 8:30 a.m. In addition to the standard meeting and discussions, there will be an additional presentation on executive functioning skills, featuring guest speaker Jan Johnston-Tyler from EvoLibri. Developing stronger executive functioning skills is often cited as a goal for many of our students here at Stanbridge, so I highly encourage you to attend this upcoming presentation.

• On Thursday, March 14, we will be hosting our Spring Open House from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. This will be our final Open House event of the school year, so spread the word amongst those you know who may be looking for student placement next year. This event is designed primarily for new and potential families considering Stanbridge for their students, but I welcome current eighth grade families to attend this Open House as well. The event will provide you with a unique way to see our high school teachers and students in action and give you a forum to ask any questions you might have about the Stanbridge high school program. The calendar may say March, but it's not too early to start thinking about next year.

• Before we officially tear-off the February page from the calendar, a couple of final notes that got lost amidst Winter Break: First, a big Thank You to all of our students who made homemade Valentines for the residents of Brookside Nursing Home. Prior to the start of Winter Break, our counselor James Warren and members of the student STAR Team personally delivered dozens of Stanbridge Valentines to the residents of the facility. The cards and sentiments were (pardon the pun) heartfelt, and the in-person delivery truly lifted the spirits of those who received them. Kudos, James, for organizing another service event that the whole school could participate in. Photos from this event can be seen on the Weekly Bridge mainpage (Parent Portal password required).​ Finally, our staff is certainly keeping the Stanbridge Stork busy. Congratulations to Matt Keith and his wife, Tara, who welcomed a newborn girl into their family over Winter Break. Addyson Sophie Keith arrived on the afternoon of February 20 and word is that mom, dad and baby Addy are all doing well. Best wishes to the new arrival and the proud parents. If you are keeping score, that's the third Stanbridge newborn this year. Future parents, start thinking about early enrollment now--the Class of 2031 is filling up quickly.

Hope to see all of you Saturday night. Have a great weekend!

-Marilyn

Note: This is an abridged version of The Weekly Bridge (The Weekly Abridged?) Additional news stories can be found in the complete version on The Weekly Bridge mainpage (Parent Portal password required).

From Marilyn Lynch, Head of School:Hello again and welcome to another edition of The Bridge. We are heading into our Winter Break next week (February 18 through 22), so this week's Bridge will be pulling double duty, looking back at this past week and ahead to the end of the month. As to the former point, it was a busy week leading-up to this year's Winter Break. As you know, we hosted our high school Valentine's Dance last Friday and the pictures are now online in the Photo Galleries. In addition to pictures from the dance, we've also added another batch of photos from last month's Close Up trip to Washington, D.C. Lots of pics to share, so be sure to click over to the Media Room to check out the latest. This week, the Valentine's theme continued with a special all-school assembly on Thursday, February 14th. Students and teachers gathered in their Constellation Groups and played a rousing game of Trivia Bowl. Working together, the teams were challenged on their knowledge of a wide variety of topics--from what The Hungry Caterpillar ate, to the speed of light, trivia about Twilight, geography, football and even the gender of Tara's forthcoming baby (again...it was a wide variety of topics). Organized by Tara and emceed by Jay, the groups had a blast playing along together, with the winning teams taking home Baskin-Robbins gift cards and everyone earning a Valentine's cookie for their efforts. Also highlighting Thursday was SPA's annual Soup From the Heart lunch for the Stanbridge staff. Once again, the soups, sides and desserts were delicious and a real treat for all of us. On behalf of the entire faculty, I thank everyone who was involved in contributing to this year's luncheon. The whole school also participated in another annual ritual this week, when the students and staff cast their votes for this year's yearbook cover on Friday. Student-drawn entries were narrowed down to four finalists that were put on display for vote. The three runners-up will appear inside the yearbook, while the winning entry will be used as the cover. We'll officially announce the winner when we return from break. Looking ahead to the week we return, some of our students will be heading right back out. Ninth and tenth graders are scheduled for a three-day overnight experiential trip to Hidden Villa Ranch in Los Altos, Feb. 25 to 27th. The group will leave on Monday morning and return Wednesday afternoon. Full details of the trip along with the necessary forms and packing list are on the Forms page. Please note that the paperwork was due on February 13th, so if you have any problems with or questions about the upcoming trip, please email the main office over the break. Also coming up after break is our annual Stanbridge Steps Out social on Saturday, March 2. This event is open to all current Stanbridge families, and provides a chance to meet and mingle with staff, alumni and board members in a casual, purely social setting. Pam has full details in this week's SPA Spot, and I echo her emphasis to join us even if you don't dance (really, you don't have to!). All RSVPs are due by February 20, so if you did not get yours in before break, please contact Pam via email or email your RSVP to Anne Barrows. The event is always a fun-filled affair and I hope to see all of you there. Finally, a bit of good news before signing-off. The Box Top collection program that our student government helped implement this year has turned out to be a smashing success. I don't want to steal their thunder, so I'll let our Student Government Vice-President take it from here:

"Our first box top drive was a real success. The box tops that you saved earned Stanbridge $37.50! Thanks to all who contributed! We are making good progress on our second box top drive. We have already collected $15 worth of box tops. Our next deadline for submitting box tops is March 1st, so let’s make February our best collection month ever! Please collect and turn in the box tops you find on the products that you use and let’s see how much we can earn for Stanbridge! Click here for a list of participating products and note that over 250 retailers offer eBox Tops when you shop online. Thanks for your participation!"

Thanks to everyone who has been contributing to the Box Tops effort. Always good to end on a high note, so until February 25, have a safe, happy and relaxing Winter Break!-Marilyn

From Marilyn Lynch, Head of School:Hello again and welcome to another edition of The Bridge. As I write this, our high school students are eagerly counting down the minutes to tonight's Valentine's Dance. Thank You to our parent and staff volunteers who helped to set up, decorate and chaperone the event. So far this school year the dances have been big hits and I expect another fun-filled night this evening. Our staff chaperones will have cameras at the ready and we hope to have photos posted online next week. Speaking of photos, we have our first batch of pictures from last month's Washington, D.C. trip posted in our online Photo Galleries. As I noted last week, there are literally thousands of pictures to sort through, so check back next week as more will be posted in the days ahead. While there was big news in Washington this week about the postal service stopping Saturday delivery, we're still using good ol' fashioned snail mail to get some important documents to you, so be sure to keep checking your mailbox. This week, invitations were sent for next month's Stanbridge Steps Out dinner dance. Pam has more about this event on her SPA Spot page, so be sure to click over and read all about it. I will add that this has become an annual tradition and offers parents and guardians the chance to enjoy a purely social evening with our staff and board members, as well as current and alumni Stanbridge parents. The RSVP date is right around the corner (February 20), so please respond promptly. Also, the second quarter report cards are completed and will be in the mail next week. There are no set conference days this quarter, so if you wish to talk to a teacher about your student's grade, performance, or workload, please contact the teacher directly via email. You can find a directory of teacher emails in our website's Teachers section. In addition to Valentine's Day next week, we have a few other events of note highlighting the calendar:• On Wednesday, February 13 there will be a SPA meeting at 8:30 a.m. in Hayden Hall. As always, all current Stanbridge parents and guardians are welcome (and encouraged) to attend.• On Thursday, February 14, SPA volunteers will be visiting campus to host their annual "Soup From the Heart" lunch. This is an event where parents bring various homemade soups and salads and serve lunch to our staff. The food is always delicious and all of the teachers I've talked to are looking forward to it this year, so a preemptive Thank You to those of you involved. Also on Thursday, we will be holding a special Valentine's Day-themed assembly for all students in the afternoon. The assembly will feature fun and games and students will play along together in their "constellation groups," allowing them to socialize and intermingle with fellow students and teachers from different divisions. The students had a blast when we did this for Turkey Bingo in November, so we expect another exciting afternoon next week as well.• Finally, don't forget that Friday, February 15 is our last day of school before Winter Break. Students have the week of February 18-22 off and school will resume on Monday, February 25. Parents of high school freshmen and sophomores, please note that the Monday when we return is the start of your student's Spring Experiential trip. For scheduling purposes, the trip was moved to the end of February, but the experience will still be a rewarding one: The students will be going to a three-day "leadership summit" at Hidden Villa Ranch in Los Altos. There, the group will learn valuable social life skills, as well as see how a real working ranch operates, with an emphasis on sustainable energy and organic farming. Full details of the trip, along with the necessary permission forms and packing list are posted on the Forms page. Please make sure that if your student is going on the trip, their forms are returned to the main office by Wednesday, February 13th. Last, but not least, as our headline above teased, the deliveries this week concern more than just the mail. Jay may be back from his paternity leave, but the Stanbridge wing at the delivery room remains busy: Early Friday morning, February 8, our Speech & Language Pathologist Kari Schaiman gave birth to her newborn son Jacob Paul. We are happy to report that mom, dad and Jacob are doing great and we wish them all the best over these next few weeks of new parenthood. Kari is scheduled to return in a few weeks, and in the interim Tina Ester will be handling her speech and language duties here on campus. Better have your friends book their school tours now; the Stanbridge Class of 2031 is filling up fast! Have a great weekend. -Marilyn

From Marilyn Lynch, Head of School:Hello again and welcome to another edition of The Bridge. Just a few brief notes going into this weekend as we all prepare for Sunday's big game. As many of you know, we did our part to help the 49ers at Stanbridge on Friday, hosting our pre-Super Bowl tailgate lunch. Most students and staff came clad in red and gold and we're hoping that our consumption of lunchtime hot dogs is once again the secret weapon that lead the Niners to victory. In other news this week...• Our high school government classes spent Wednesday in court, performing a mock trial in an actual courtroom of the Santa Clara Superior Courthouse. The trip was arranged by government class teachers John Montgomery and Chris Myers. On Tuesday, Jeff's sister Evette Pennypacker--an attorney--and her colleague Allonn Levy visited Stanbridge to work with the students to prepare them for the trial. The next day at the courthouse, the group was joined by attorney Claude Stern, who acted as the judge in the case. Also present were court clerk Irma Hernandez, court worker Jean Pennypacker and Judge Phil Pennypacker, who led the students on a tour of his chambers after their trial was over. It was a unique, memorable experience and you can see pictures from the experience in our Photo Galleries. (Note: Jeff shot video of the students during the trial and we'll be working to post clips later this weekend in our Video Galleries).• While those students were in court on Wednesday, the rest of us were treated to a visit from the Red Panda Acrobats. This San Francisco-based group features professional acrobats who were trained in China and travel the world performing year-round. Delighting our students young and old with energy, enthusiasm, and amazing acrobatic work (just watching some of their moves gives you a hernia), the troupe's visit earned rave reviews. You can find pictures of the performance in our Photo Galleries as well, though I remind you and your students that these are trained professionals--for the sake of your spine, do not try this at home.• With all these pictures being posted, you may ask where photos from the D.C. trip are. Rest assured, they are coming. The teacher chaperones are finally back in the swing of things, but after going through the pictures from the trip, they realized that there were over 2,000 pictures to sort through! They are in the process of doing that and next week Chris will upload the files. After hearing about everything the group did, I'm thrilled they captured so much on film and look forward to seeing the highlights myself. Thank you for your patience!• Looking ahead on the calendar, we enter a period of relative calm. The next two weeks leading-up to Winter Break are fairly uneventful. A few things to note: The Bulldogs Basketball team will be playing an afternoon game on Tuesday, February 5 at 1:00 p.m. in San Francisco. Team players will be excused from school early that day to travel to the Minnie & Love Recreation Center to play Edgewood School. A link to directions and a map are located on our Bulldogs Basketball page. On Thursday, February 7, eighth graders and high school seniors will be measured for their graduation caps and gowns (yes, it's time to start thinking about graduation). This will take place in the morning in Hayden Hall and there are no special requirements other than for female students who will be wearing heels to graduation to bring their shoes so their gowns can be measured properly. Finally, on Friday, February 8, we'll host our annual high school Valentine Dance from 7:30 to 10:00 p.m. in Hayden Hall. The usual dance protocol applies and permission forms must be returned to the main office by Wednesday--you can download a copy from our Forms page if necessary.• Last but not least, we say Hello and Goodbye: Safe travels to Meagan Cameron, who departed Thursday night for Cambodia. She'll be doing volunteer work there with Kids International Dental Service (KIDS) and delivering the crayons collected from last month's crayon drive. She'll be back before Winter Break with a full recap and photos that we'll post online. While we say farewell to Meagan, though, we welcome back Papa Jay Huston, who is scheduled to return from his paternity leave next week. Be sure to congratulate the proud papa when you see him back on campus.Here's hoping we have another championship to celebrate on Monday. Have a great weekend and Go Niners!

From Marilyn Lynch, Head of School:Hello and welcome to another edition of The Bridge. Despite the rumor published on this page last week that I was dodging the Bay Area rain by going to Tahiti, the truth is much less exotic: I was merely in Modesto, visiting a school as part of a WASC assessment committee; Tahiti would have been far more preferable. Lest our wily webmaster spread any misinformation this week, I was off campus again on Friday, attending a conference. At the risk of Chris' imagination getting the better of him again, I've asked that he instead focus on the following school-related highlights: It was a busy week here at Stanbridge and Jeff and I certainly weren't the only ones on the go. Our seventh grade students have been reading Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol in their Language Arts class and went to downtown San Francisco on Thursday to see the American Conservatory Theatre (A.C.T.) production of that classic. Further down the highway in Palo Alto, our high school U.S. History students were also taking in a show, attending TheatreWorks production of Big River, a history-tinged musical based on The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. And speaking of history, the eighth graders weren't left out of day-tripping on Thursday, attending a screening of Steven Spielberg's historical drama Lincoln. It wasn't just the older students who caught the travel bug this week: On Friday, Kari's middle elementary students spent the day at The Tech Museum in San Jose. The flurry of field trips doesn't seem as if it will stop anytime soon. On Thursday, December 13, the lower elementary students will take a trip to the CuriOdyssey museum at Coyote Point and on Friday, December 14, the junior high division will take another literary-themed trip, this time to see the newly released Hobbit movie. Our high school government classes are also scheduled to role play a mock trial in a real courtroom the week of December 17th. We are still working out the schedule with the lawyers and judge who are volunteering their time, and we will provide full details once dates and times are finalized. In the meantime, you can read more about these trips and download the permission forms on our Forms page. If you have any questions regarding a trip, please email your student's teacher. The holidays are coming and there are plenty of holiday-themed events to report: First, note that Monday, December 10 is the deadline for donating gifts to our Family Giving Tree. Susan Kufer has done an amazing job organizing this annual event and the response so far has been wonderful. Please ensure that if you or your student took a gift tag from the tree, you bring the requested donation in on Monday. For more details on The Giving Tree, visit our Community Service page or email Susan directly. Second, our annual High School Holiday Dance is scheduled for Friday, December 14th. The dance will take place in Hayden Hall from 7:30 to 10:00 p.m. and permission forms were distributed at school on Friday (you can also find an electronic copy on the Forms page). Please ensure that if your student plans to attend, he/she returns the permission slip by Thursday, Dec. 13. Pam has more details on both The Family Giving Tree and the high school dance (not to mention last week's Book Fair and the SPA cookie party) in this week's SPA Spot. Finally, mark your calendars: Thursday, December 20 is the last day of school in 2012! That afternoon, we have a special Holiday Revue planned and all are welcome to attend. The event will start at 1:30 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room and will feature musical performances from the STAR Team, the Stanbridge Choir and short skits, readings and other presentations from students in all divisions. The show will be a great way to wrap-up the year and celebrate our last day of school before break--I hope you can make it. Be back in on Monday. Until then, have a great weekend. -Marilyn

From Chris Myers, Stanbridge webmaster:Hello and welcome to another edition of The Bridge. Marilyn has been out for the past two days on a WASC visit, so I am here to fill you in with the latest Stanbridge news. I debated whether or not to include the fact that Marilyn was seen leaving on Wednesday afternoon with plane tickets to Tahiti in her purse, yelling "Enjoy the rain, suckers!" as she ran down the front stairs. Alas, I can only assume she is attending to her WASC responsibilities dutifully and I will instead stick to the notes she left for me: First, a big thank you to all students and families who donated food to our Thanksgiving Food Drive. The bin in the front hallway was overflowing with donations and James reported that the final haul was enough food to fill 35 bins worth of food at St. Anthony's. No doubt these donations made a difference to those in need, and it was a great display of Stanbridge's community spirit that so many students were involved in contributing. Kudos! Staying on the Thanksgiving theme, the Tuesday before break you may have heard that the students and staff enjoyed a rousing game of Turkey Bingo. Students played at tables in the Multipurpose Room grouped into their "Constellation Groups"--mixed groups of students and teachers from all divisions. The event was a fun way for everyone to socialize, interact and wind-down before the break (not to mention score a few goodies as well--our winners received gift cards and other prizes). We've posted highlights in our online galleries, so check out the Media Room to view the pics. The rain has come, and with it comes a flurry of field trips. Unfortunately, Friday's storm caused the postponement of junior high's planned walk to the San Mateo Library (don't worry, they're rescheduling), but there are a number of trips on the horizon (rain or shine) for students in all divisions, so get those raincoats ready. A full list of upcoming trips and the necessary permission slips have been posted on the Forms page. The Book Fair held in Hayden Hall this week has been a big hit. Many students were excited to browse and buy, and it seems that many parents and guardians also made a few purchases as well. If you or your student didn't get a chance to buy from the Book Fair this week, Monday is your last chance. Parent volunteers will be on-hand for a final closeout on Monday morning before classes begin, so you still have time to make a last-minute purchase (remember, books make great holiday gifts and stocking stuffers!). If you miss the Book Fair altogether, there's still time to order books in time for the holidays through Scholastic's website. Check out our Book Orders page to find how you can get bonus discounts and earn books for Stanbridge's library as well. Last but not least, please click over to Pam's SPA Spot page this week. Notes from the November SPA meeting college panel have been posted online, and the page has full details on our Family Giving Tree project. The Giving Tree is an annual tradition at Stanbridge and--like the food drive--it is something that students and families from all divisions can participate in. In addition to donating a gift for a needy family, we are also looking for volunteers to assist with the drop-off and sorting of donations at the Family Giving Tree warehouse. Again, full details are on the SPA Spot page, but these are great opportunities for students to earn community service hours and get into the true spirit of the holiday season. December has arrived and that means that we're in the final stretch of 2012. Three weeks until Holiday Break begins and a lot going on between now and then, so be sure to check in to next week's thrilling (hopefully less rain-soaked) edition of The Bridge. Until then, have a great weekend in Modesto, Tahiti, or wherever you might be. ;)

Stanbridge Academy is a caring, inclusive K-12 school for students with mild to moderate learning differences and social communication disorders. We use an individualized, whole student approach so that students thrive and develop their academic, social, and emotional capabilities to their fullest potential.